Happy Days
by Nezumi-Baka-Neko
Summary: Haru x Yuki It all started one night when, in a drunken stupor, Shigure was found in a flowerbed Yuki then discovered he was 'all alone'...heh, fluff ensues!
1. Chapter 1

YAY! we're finally doing a Haru & Yuki fic! Tis about time, ne? lol, well drop us a line, i.e. review, anytime & let us know what ya think! Thankee!

#Neko# & Nezumi>

Enjoy!

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**Happy Days**

Chapter I

Shigure sat back in a lavish armchair, sipping brandy.

_I'm hungry-- where is everyone?_ Yuki thought, wandering through the house. _Maybe Shigure and Ayame fell off a cliff somewhere…_

"Hello Yuki!" Shigure screamed, leaping up to greet Yuki, "Ah! Light headed! I stood up too fast…"

_¬ ¬…dammit, no such luck…_

"Shigure, why the hell are you sitting in the flowerbed, drinking- " he squinted at the tin his cousin clutched in one hand, "- _banana schnapps?_"

"Its brandy and…I don't know…" Shigure stood studying the large dent in the flowerbed.

Yuki frowned, eyes closed, counting back from ten.

"…1…Right. Now where're Tohru and that damn cat?"

"Aaya took them out…" Shigure muttered before passing out.

"Shigure?_...Shiiigurrre?_" the rat held his cousin up by the collar, promptly dropping him back in the flowerbed when he replied with a loud snore.

"God dammit; I'm stuck in a house with a drunk…by myself!"

He suddenly stopped, horrified. _Aaya- oh no, he can't have--_

"I need to find them!"

"Well, you can't do that if you don't know where they are, can you?"

Yuki spun round ungracefully towards the voice, catching his foot on a rogue bucket and falling back to accompany Shigure in the flowerbed; consequently, having the bucket drop on his head.

"And I thought you were a black belt…"

Yuki felt a smirk accompany the voice as the bucket was tipped up from his eyes.

"Haru!"

"Yes! It is I! The amazing Hatsuharu!"

The prince raised a cynical brow, straightening up and shoving the bucket into Haru's chest.

"Give it a rest, Haru."

"Hmph!" The offended Haru stormed into the house after Yuki.

"Anyway," Yuki began, "I have to go find Aaya, etc., before they end up…well, you know him…"

"They're upstairs." Haru's tone was blunt.

"What?"

Haru leant absent-mindedly on a doorframe, biting into an apple.

_Hang on, when'd he get that?_

"Found him and Kyo in a drunken stupor, and Tohru's staying with that Hana person."

"Okay…"

"So that means its just you and me…"

A loud snore emitted from outside, briefly catching their attention.

"Sleeping beauty out there doesn't count."

"…Soo…just you and me…" Yuki repeated awkwardly.

"Yes, just you and-" Haru was interrupted by an abnormally loud snore from Shigure. Looking rather irritated, he slammed the window shut. "-me." He finished, grinning and tossing the apple coolly over his shoulder. A moment later, of course, it rebounded off the closed window and ricocheted off Haru's head.

"God dammit! That WAS NOT supposed to happen."

Yuki bit his tongue in an attempt not to laugh at him. Haru, however, noticed the small smile flick over his face. He blushed rose and stuck his tongue out immaturely, making the boy giggle even more. Haru pouted and leapt at Yuki, pinning him against the wall.

"When I'm finished with you, you won't be laughing."

"Is that a threat?" Yuki replied calmly.

"Just a friendly warning."

Yuki leant his face close.

"Oh…good."

He breathed, startling Haru by blowing at the hair that fell across his face-- before poking him in the ribs, making him recoil.

"That's it, you asked for it!" Again Haru pinned Yuki against the wall. "Try to get out now." He breathed. Haru had the wrist of Yuki's left arm clenched in an iron grip. His thighs held Yuki in place.

"Just watch me." Yuki whispered, their faces millimetres apart.

At that very moment Shigure burst into the room--

"WOAH! DID YOU GUYS SEE THAT PIGEONhey what's going on?"

He asked, puzzled, flicking his bottom lip sceptically with a nail.

"I know! You guys had a party without me!"

The pair were dumbstruck.

_"What?"_

"Just getting some milk, Sugar." Aaya said casually as he drifted across the room.

Haru and Yuki stared at him incredulously as Shigure waved frantically. Haru detached himself from Yuki and walked over to Shigure, speaking slowly as if to a child.

"This is just a figment of your imagination. Your rooms upstairs, go visit it."

"Okay imaginary Haru. Night night." Shigure waved and wandered towards the door – leading outside, and collapsed back in the flowerbed.

Haru seemed to regain himself. He turned to Yuki, smirking.

"Now…where were we?" Haru approached Yuki, a seductive glare in his eyes. He propped one hand against the wall beside Yuki, who was staring at him with wide eyes. Haru leaned further in towards Yuki. Fuelled by fear Yuki ducked under Haru's arm and escaped to the middle of the room.

Haru exclaimed irritably as his forehead made contact with the wall. He turned to glare at Yuki, who stood catching his breath. Haru closed his eyes a moment, trying to control his temper. Now he locked eyes with the rat.

"What's your problem?"

"Nothing. I'm going upstairs. You can stay in the living room." The words tumbled out of Yuki's mouth before he botted for the door.

He ran upstairs and sat on his bed, silent to hear whether Haru was coming after him. Minutes passed and the rat heard no one coming up the stairs, nothing in fact bar Shigure's faint snoring leeching from the window.

He felt disappointed, then confused shortly after realising this. He grimaced. I'm not dealing with this now. He collapsed back into sweet ignorant sleep.

Downstairs Haru stood with his head against a wall, desperately trying to understand. The frustration that he had kept bottled up for the past few minutes erupted. In a fit of anger he kicked the table through the paper door. He stared in shock. _What am I doing? He's brushed me off before, so what's wrong?_ Haru collapsed onto his knees, his head in his hands.

"Haru-kun?"

The boy looked up to see a girl with chestnut hair and eyes, clad in a dark blue sailor suit standing in the torn doorway. She jumped in renewed surprise before running over and exclaiming-

"Oh my god what happened, is Kyo-kun here? Were you fighting again?"

"No, the table was pissing me off." Haru's voice was muffled by his arms.

"Ok then." Tohru lowered herself down next to Haru and asked in a hushed tone. "So, what did the table do?"

"Nothing. Look, I'm really tired so I'm going to sleep, ok?" Haru snapped.

"Uh, yeah. Do you want a blanket?" Tohru asked, looking puzzled by the boy's outburst.

Haru lay on the floor, facing the wall stubbornly.

"No, I'm fine as I am."

Tohru stood silently, finally taking her leave when it became apparent that the conversation had ended. She trudged up the stairs, removing her plaits. _Wonder what's wrong with him?_ She peered into Yuki's room. The rat was sleeping face down. Tohru frowned, worried as she walked to her own room. Half way there she stopped decisively and struck a pose.

"That's it! – tomorrow's gonna be a happy day!"

With her mind made up she carried on her journey down the corridor to her room.

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Thanks for reading! We'll update in a few days, promise!


	2. Chapter 2

Heylo! Thank you all for reviewing, we love you!

Nezumi: Please don't be alarmed by that…random…outburst…

Neko: tis normal! Anyways, enjoy this chapter and don't forget to review, etc.

#neko# & +nezumi+

twinkle: yay! switzerland!

koyte: ...

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**Happy Days**

Chapter II

Tohru jumped out from the bathroom grinning, having successfully risen and washed and dressed and was now on her way down to make breakfast. Why? Because today is going to be a--

"Happy day!" _yay!_ "good morning Sohma-kun!" Tohru exclaimed her greeting at the boy emerging zombie-like from his room. Twirling back round she inadvertently tripped on a floorboard and fell flat on her face.

"No, today is a happy day!" the girl yelled at the floor. Jumping up she pulled Yuki's drooping mouth into a pained smile. "Today is a happy day! Everyone has to be happy!" She skipped off down the corridor and consequently dropped down the stairs like a brick. Yuki stood for a moment before realisation kicked in.

"Honda-san!" he exclaimed in a delayed fashion. Arriving at the top of the stairs, he peered down at the mass of people lying tangled on the floor below.

"Oh Kyo-kun! I'm so sorry, how clumsy of me!"

Yuki watched the girl jump up, noticing that both she and the cat were blushing furiously.

"It's ok." Kyo mumbled, brushing himself off. Yuki was shocked to hear no anger in Kyo's voice. A silence followed where Kyo and Tohru stood blushing, they both looked to the floor.

"Tohru? Um, I like…er…your slippers…" Kyo grimaced.

_You idiot…_

"Oh…um…thank you, Kyo-kun." She smiled. Their eyes met and they immediately looked away blushing, triggering another awkward silence.

"Uh, breakfast!" tried Tohru as Kyo replied, a little too quickly.

"Breakfast! Yes- "

"I'll go make it- "

"I'll come too- "

"No, it's alright I'll manage." Tohru and Kyo stood awkwardly for a second, before she rushed off.

Yuki stood at the top of the stairs.

"Ok, I'm going to pretend I didn't hear any of that…"

He started to move along the corridor – he'd made a subconscious decision to stop when he heard a thud. Peering curiously back round the corner he witnessed the cat banging his head repeatedly off the wall, muttering what sounded to be 'stupid…stupid…stupid…' to the rat. Yuki sighed, feeling vaguely relieved that he wasn't the only one with problems in his love life. He closed his eyes as a dull throb began aching at the back of his head, he headed off to shower himself awake.

_This is going to be a _long_ day…_

Downstairs Tohru was standing the kitchen. She was pounding her temples muttering 'happy day' under her breath. When she turned and walked into Ayame, emerging from the kitchen.

"Good morning, Ayame-san!" Tohru greeted the snake joyfully. In reply the snake muttered something inaudible.

"Pardon?"

The snake ignored her again and collapsed at the table in a very uncharacteristic, _quiet_ manner. Tohru's eyes skimmed the other occupants of the room; Shigure sat at a fragmented table, stubbornly picking at his breakfast with a chopstick; Kyo sat on the floor with a cup of tea, in the exit Haru had created the night before; and Haru? Well…

"Where do you want this?"

The bull stood near the _actual_ backdoor, addressing Shigure with a side of the table balanced precariously on one shoulder. Shigure glared.

"You broke my house! You better have a good explanation!" Shigure semi-slurred.

"And what if I don't?" Haru's darker personality retorted, taking over.

"IF YOU DON'T YOU'LL Have to ans…" Shigure lay his head on the table and stopped talking.

Meanwhile, Yuki had just descended the stairs and was heading for the kitchen. He shifted his shoulders uncomfortably under wet cloth – only moments ago he had awoken himself by sticking his head under an icy shower. Now however, although wide awake, he was also half soaked.

_Right that's it!_

Yuki started tugging at his sleeves. His left hand disappeared into his top, and he began to pull at his collar – still walking. He turned into the dining room, not needing to see where the door was. He paused and pulled the shirt over his head, shaking his head to flick out dripping silver hair.

Haru's eyes blinked away from Shigure's defeated form, instead finding a new figure to fixate upon. Time slowed to a heavenly pace as Yuki tossed his head, fine mercury hair flicking to send glistening droplets of water flying, gems running down his pale chest. The prince opened his crystalline violet eyes, locking with Haru's in a single moment.

And that's when it all went wrong.

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What'd'ya think? We'll update v v soon, promise! Well, when we get a certain amount of reviews…

Nezumi: by which we mean 'when neko can be bothered to type it up'. Well, that's it, bye!


	3. Chapter 3

Heylo! Well, I did say we'd update soon, didn't I? lol , well this chapters a little…odd, perhaps? I tried to put some extra fluff in during editing, so I hope you like-like, koi-koi? Tell us what ya think!

#neko# & nezumi 

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Happy Days

Chapter 3

As Haru phased out open-mouthed at the heavenly figure before him, the grip of his fingers on the table wood laxed. As his eyes met Yuki's, the large plank dropped to the floor behind the bull. The splitting crash as it hit the floor sent the next events spiralling into double speed.

Alerted by the noise, Haru twisted round, inadvertently catching his foot on the splintering wood - thus tripping himself up and sending the boy hurtling through the building's paper-thin wall.

Everyone in the room flinched painfully at Haru's exclamation as he vanished from sight, sending up a shower of foliage. Yuki winced, watching through clumsy dripping locks as Haru's voice gave a single, distinct, delayed _"OW!" _from outside.

Inside, the whole room fell silent. Shigure sniggered and was promptly hit by Yuki - who glared down at his elder cousin. In an _extremely _delayed reaction, Tohru exclaimed;

"OhmygodHaruareyoualright!"

She then leapt across the room and disappeared through the hole Haru had made. A few seconds later they both appeared back in the room. Haru's face showed a tinge of pain and Tohru looked positively sick. The reason for this was apparent. Crimson liquid trickled down Haru's arm, the source of the blood were the deep gashes, from which protruded several large crystal blades.

_"Who left the sodding whisky bottle in the sodding flowerbed."_

Haru spoke through gritted teeth, clearly annoyed. The air in the room grew tight and a bad vibe passed through the room. Black Haru…

Tohru snapped back to her usual self and instantly began circling the room at top speed, listing many possible ailments, etc., that may be relevant to the situation. Kyo put a stop to this by catching hold of her arm.

"Calm down! You'll make yourself ill again."

"But he may get gangrene! His arm might fall off! He mi-"

The girl dropped like a rock as Kyo applied a pressure point to her shoulder. Ducking down, he caught her by the shoulders and lowered her gently, his fingers trembled slightly.

"I'm sorry…" he whispered, subconsciously taking up a protective vigil by her side.

Shigure looked around the room.

"Hey, where'd Haru go?"

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"Be quiet." Yuki commanded, slamming Haru back roughly into the wall, causing him to collapse in the chair beneath. Yuki picked up a phone from the wall and quickly dialled, having dragged the bull away from the dining room amidst all the commotion (the commotion being Tohru).

Haru sat crossly, beginning to wrench small shards of glass from his wound, wincing.

"Stop that." Yuki grabbed Haru's arm as he reached for the cut again.

"Why should I?" The bull growled, apparently still seeing red.

"Do you want a sceptic arm? Your fingers are covered in soil. I'm calling Hatori so he can come sort you out." The receiver drew his attention and he spoke into it.

"Hello, Hatori? Yes, it's Yuki…"

Haru gazed at Yuki's hand on his before shaking him off. He blinked a few times, eyes calming.

"An hour!" Yuki's exclamation startled Haru.

_"I do have other patients."_ The voice at the other end of the line snapped before hanging up. In defeat Yuki dropped the phone back onto the stand. He sunk to the floor next to Haru.

"An hour. He'll be here in an hour…" Yuki grumbled.

"I'll survive." Haru grimaced reassuringly, leaning his head against the wall. In the silence that followed the pair heard Kyo exit the room in a bad-tempered manner.

"I'd better go get the stuff to do your arm, then." Yuki sighed, heaving himself to his feet.

In Yuki's absence Kyo walked past the injured Sohma, muttering.

"…Two drunks and an unconscious girl…I can't handle this!" He left the house, shouting, "I'm going for a walk!"

Haru cocked a brow after him, when Yuki reappeared. Haru flashed him a grim smile, watching him sink down before him again, laying out a first-aid kit on the floor.

"Oh no you don't!" Haru pulled his arm away from Yuki, who had pulled tweezers out of the box.

"Do you want it to get worse?" Yuki searched through the box, bandages already at his side. Haru looked on and saw Yuki retrieve a small bottle from the box.

"What is that?" Haru motioned suspiciously at the bottle in Yuki's hand.

"Iodine - an anti-sceptic." Yuki set the bottle down next to the bandages. He shuffled closer and reached for Haru's wrist. Reluctantly, Haru let him take it. As gently as possible, Yuki pulled a shard of glass from the wound. The bull grimaced slightly as the object was peeled from his flesh. The rat then reached for the bottle of iodine, pouring some onto a piece of cotton wool and edging forward.

"This is gonna hurt." Yuki warned.

"Yeah right." The younger of the two scoffed, confidently presenting Yuki with his arm. Carefully, Yuki cleaned the area around the wound.

"Told you it wouldn't." Haru boasted.

"I'm not finished _yet_." Yuki again rooted through the first-aid box. Bringing out a pipette, he dipped it into the anti-sceptic liquid. He motioned for Haru to present his arm again. Positioning the pipette over the tear he squeezed the dropper, making a drop of golden iodine fall into the gash.

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Kyo sat on his favourite perch in his favourite tree, several metres away from Yuki's vegetable patch of upturned leeks.

"AAAAAAAAAA--!" - he heard the distant scream, from the direction of Shigure's stronghold, echoing through the forest and almost making the cat drop from his tree. Kyo's head emerged from the foliage, curious.

"WTF?…"

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Haru bucked knocking the pipette across the room.

"AAAAAAAAAA--!" He screamed, gripping the sides of his chair with both hands.

Yuki rolled his eyes, stopping himself from commenting, knowing it'd just be lost in Haru's outburst. Told you. He reached out and propped Haru's chin up, sealing his lips with a well-placed thumb. Haru threw his head to the side and re-opened his mouth to scream again.

Agitated, the rat reached to shut it again - and felt sharp teeth clamp down on his hand. The two silently glared at each other.

"I told you it would hurt." Yuki snarled, his fingers still held firmly by Haru's teeth. "Now, can I have my hand back?"

Yuki tugged on his hand - and Haru followed the motion, releasing the hand and falling forward to embrace the prince tightly, snuggling his face into the rat's silky hair. Yuki was startled by this sudden closeness, at the way Haru burrowed lovingly into his neck, the way his strong arms held him, the way his hands clutched as if never wanting to let him go…

After a moment, Yuki hugged back just as tightly, one hand finding Haru's head, slender digits pulling through his hair, the other snaking defensively around the boy's waist. He pressed himself close, to his surprise wanting something more, wanting to taste Haru. Biting his bottom lip he fought the urge to find the other's lips, remembering that Hatori would arrive soon.

Yuki sighed, reluctantly pushing Haru back to an upright position, seeing his reflected regret in his eyes before reassuming a more professional approach. He kept hold of Haru's arm. He absent-mindedly ran a finger around the wound, the tweezers poised to continue their assault.

"I have to finish this, do you want something to bite down on?"

Haru locked eyes with him intently. _You…_

"Well?"

Haru grunted and bit down on his own hand. Yuki sighed again, retrieving the iodine bottle and what-not.

"…suit yourself…"

Again Yuki cleaned Haru's wounds, this time without Haru screaming. When all the gashes had been treated he reached for the bandages.

"Now stay still, this has to be tied tight."

Haru watched as Yuki circled the arm in white mesh, clumsily.

"Not quite the graceful Prince you pretend to be, eh?"

Haru remarked as the roll of bandage fell from Yuki's left hand. The bull sat back and let Yuki finish his task, every so often feeling the rat's smooth skin brush against his - making the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. He breathed heavily, savouring every moment. Yuki pulled away.

"hold this." The rat positioned Haru's hand so that it kept the bandage in place while he looked for a safety pin. Once found, he used the pin to keep the bandage in place.

"Your turn…" Haru teased, reaching for Yuki's left hand.

"What?" Yuki looked on, one eyebrow raised in question. Haru was studying the three fingers that had been bitten. The Prince's once slender digits were swollen and red. Scarlet liquid fell from teeth marks.

"Iodine" Haru commanded, holding his hand out. He wanted so badly to just kiss the sweet skin better, a feeling of guilt rising in his stomach at having signed and marred his Prince.

Yuki handed him the bottle. Using cotton wool Haru gently dabbed the dark liquid onto Yuki's wounds. The rat winced with pain at the contact. Flexing his fingers slightly he felt a burning sensation - left by the anti-sceptic.

"Got any more of that bandage stuff?" Haru inquired, watching Yuki observe his fingers.

"What? Oh, yeah, in the box."

Haru walked over to the kit and dropped down next to it. Then started to enigmatically search through it. When the bandage had been retrieved he turned to Yuki, who had his back to him. From behind, Haru slipped his right hand through next to Yuki's left, the bull's left hand traced delicately down the rat's right arm. Yuki tried to look round but found the fifteen-year-old's head on his shoulder. Opening his mouth to question Yuki's eyes fell on Haru's fingers. Skilfully, they wrapped up the older boy's injuries.

"Um, thanks." Yuki held his wound to his chest, an apologetic look on his face that he knew the other couldn't see.

"No problem." Haru whispered into Yuki's ear, brushing the lobe chastely with his lips and feeling the boy shiver. He ran his finger's through Yuki's silver hair, pulling away slightly. Yuki followed Haru's hand, the strands of hair falling aside to expose his bare neck. Seeing an opening Haru pressed his lips against the throat, supporting it from the other side with a hand as he flicked his tongue against the pale skin. Yuki arched his spine, effectively pressing himself back into the eager lips.

The sharp click of the front door brought Yuki out of his trance. Quick as lightening he shot to his feet and darted to greet Hatori, leaving Haru alone in the hallway. Moments later Yuki was back, accompanied by the elder Sohma.

"Lets have a look at your arm then," the doctor requested. "I see Yuki did as I said." Hatori removed the bloodied cloth to access the wounds. After looking at them a while he issued his diagnosis. "You're going to need stitches. I left my things at the entrance. Give me one minute." Hatori made his excuses and left, at normal pace.

"You'll have to be careful not to bite him, the stitches are definitely going to hurt." Yuki advised.

"Wouldn't dream of it." Haru smirked and remarked darkly, knowing the other would shiver. And he did. "Besides, you taste much better than that."

Five minutes later, Hatori, Yuki and Haru were gathered in the living room. Sporting disposable latex gloves, Hatori expertly pulled wire through Haru's skin, closing the wounds. Despite presumptions, Haru felt nothing due to local anaesthetic - Yuki, however, watched, wincing at every incision the doctor made. Once he had finished stitching the wounds Hatori bundled them up again.

"I'll change the dressing tomorrow. You'll both be at the house anyway." He spoke, packing his equipment away.

"You what?" Yuki hissed.

"Akito's party - your presence is required." Hatori left without speaking another word.


	4. Chapter 4

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Welcome to chapter #4 of Happy Days! Nezumi and Neko welcome you! Um, apologies for any inconsistencies within the last chapter - if you didn't notice it then tis best left so : ) Anyhoo, enjoy, and there'll probably only be another 2 or 3 chapters more, koi? Bye!

#Neko# & +Nezumi+

Happy Days

Chapter 4

It was early Sunday morning. Birds outside announced the arrival of the new day as golden sunlight flooded through the windows of Shigure Sohma's relatively intact house, sending pretty patterns across Yuki's floor. The calm of early morning was shattered as yet another shirt hurtled across the room trailed by a string of curses.

"You know, I think the idea is you wear the clothes first, _then _toss them on the floor."

Yuki stopped his searching momentarily so he could glare at the satirical bull.

"You want a hand with that?"

"What?" Yuki turned, startled, to find Haru next to him. As Yuki looked on Haru picked up a shirt and threw it to the middle of the room.

"Stop that!" Yuki yelled, scrambling to retrieve the shirt.

"Trust me, you wouldn't want to wear that one anyway, it's bright orange." The bull said matter-of-factly, looking at the rat in front of him. In reply Yuki threw the shirt on Haru's head, then flopped down on the floor next to him.

"I'll save you the trouble of looking at the hangers." The younger boy dusted his hands and climbed around Yuki to look into the wardrobe.

"How bout this one?" Haru presented the rat with a white shirt.

Yuki held it up.

"I got this one last year." He shoved it back into Haru's hands before tucking a stray lock of hair behind his ear. "Besides, it makes me look too skinny."

Haru raised an eyebrow and stared at the other boy incredulously.

"What!"

"Nothing…" Haru sighed, shaking his head as he turned back to the wardrobe. He pulled out a perfectly ironed, blue shirt, handing it to Yuki. "This one?"

"Honda-san bought me that one last week," he held it horizontally and the shirt stayed absolutely straight. "I think she used a little too much starch." Sighing, the rat leant across Haru to return the shirt to the wardrobe. Near the back, a snow white fluffy collar caught his eye. Haru's eyes followed lazily as he waited, hands in pockets.

Yuki shuffled the item free of the hanger's grasp, pulling it out, slightly confused. Haru took the coat from him.

"My coat." He confirmed, smiling. "Remember? I must've left it here last year! When I stayed over after…" He trailed off as the memory returned to him. He glanced up to check on the rat, but he'd looked away.

"…after Akito…" Yuki finished, still averting his gaze. He felt a weight fall on his shoulders as Haru pirouetted the coat around him, gently raising the hood over his head. Yuki shut his eyes slowly, letting the soft white border fuzz stroke against his cheek, it's faint scent bringing the image of it's owner to mind.

Haru propped Yuki's chin up with a hand, tilting his head as the rat opened his eyes. The bull gazed at him honestly, his voice as delicate as that ivory fluff. Neko note: FLUFF!

"Yuki, don't do this for Akito, don't go to the effort - he's not worth it, only _you _are. You'll look beautiful in anything."

_To me…_he didn't add that.

He smiled and softly cupped the frozen boy's cheek, running his thumb along his cheekbone before walking away in the direction of the door.

"Finish up and come down to breakfast."

Yuki remained still for minutes after the other had left. Eventually, the Prince shrugged the coat off gently, a blank look on his face.

_Haru's always been there for me…_

The rat sat on the edge of his bed, Haru's coat grasped limply in hand. He gazed down at his bandaged fingers, recalling yesterday's events.

"Pull yourself together! Haru's right." Yuki stood, slowly. He reached for the heavily starched shirt.

_How the hell am I supposed to wear this?_

Yuki attempted to shake the shirt. Failing that, he proceeded to throw the shirt off the floor. Kyo walked past the open door as the rat struggled to make the shirt flexible. The cat looked on, a puzzled look on his face.

"You coming to breakfast or what, rat-boy?" He questioned, as Yuki dropped the shirt to the floor in defeat and walked towards the cat.

"You were beaten by a shirt?" Kyo remarked smugly as Yuki passed him.

"At least it's a better opponent than you." Yuki shot back.

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"Good morning, Sohma-kun, Kyo-kun!" Tohru smiled, wincing as she watched the two warriors enter; Kyo with awkwardly spiked hair and bust lip, the rat sporting a fresh bruise across one cheek. Kyo sat down silently. Yuki replied.

"Morning, Honda-san, Haru-kun." The bull had his back to the table. He turned to acknowledge Yuki. His eyes widened in shock as they absorbed the damage to the Prince's delicate features. Without a word he got up and left.

Yuki sat down quietly, Tohru stood looking back and forth between him and Kyo and the door Haru had just left by. The cat twitched at the heaviness hanging over the room. A low growl rose in his throat and he followed Haru's exit.

"Kyo-" Tohru began, before being cut off by the Prince.

"Just leave him, Honda-san."

"But, what's going on?" Tohru sat back down, puzzlement spread across her face. Yuki sat opposite her, in silence. He looked down at the table, picking at his rice. She sighed, crossing her arms on the wood and resting her chin on them, getting a better look at the boy's face.

"It's not Kyo-kun, is it." she asked quietly.

Yuki shook his head.

"…and not school…"

He shook his head again. She smiled grimly.

"…love, then."

Yuki stabbed harder at his rice.

"Yuki…" Tohru leant forward and placed her hand over Yuki's in a reassuring manner. He stopped massacring the rice and mover the bowl away, instead placing both hands in Tohru's clasp, sighing heavily.

"You know…" Yuki phased out as the girl launched into one of her speeches. Instead, he found his last trail of thought.

_…Haru has always been there for me…always supported me…_

Suddenly, the far door of the room burst open, flooding everything in brilliant white light. With a loud 'neigh!' a moonlight white horse galloped in, rearing up on its hind legs and pawing the air, its grey speckled muzzle piercing the atmosphere again with its loud call. The stallion's rider jumped down with practiced ease, a sword in one hand as he stepped forward towards Yuki. He thrust the blade into a scabbard at his hips and used one hand to tilt up the grid of his pewter helmet, revealing--

"Haru!" Yuki cried dramatically and the bull held out a gloved hand for him to take, crimson cape billowing around him in some non-existent wind. The rat slid his hand into his knight's and Haru brought him up to his feet, the hand releasing Yuki for a moment to circle his waist and bring him close. Silver armour gleamed around the Prince's vision, but all he saw was the other's face drawing nearer. A thrilling gasp caught in his throat, his hands tangled. The knight spoke his name huskily, and Yuki was lost, adrift on some heavenly cloud. He was so, _so _close.

"-and that's what my mum always used to say!" Yuki blinked, feeling like he'd just been kicked off afore-mentioned cloud and landed on hard ground. Real, _hard _ground. The room was completely normal, there was no horse, no bright ethereal lights, no Haru…

_…Damn, even in my dreams we're interrupted…_

He raised his eyes to the girl that now stood, poised determinedly with a clutched fist, eyes alive and cheeks flushed. Tohru smiled down at him.

"So you see, you have to face your fears, because if you don't - you'll regret it for the rest of your life."

Yuki smiled. _She's right…_

Tohru took Yuki's hand and sat back down.

"You're right Honda-san." Yuki smiled at the girl - who felt relief at seeing the Prince happy for the first time in days. She leant forward and rested her chin on their joined hands, the rat in turn rested his upon her head. They sat in a comfortable silence. Well, that is, _until_…

"Yuki?"

The rat's eyes shot open. _Curses…_

Haru stood in the doorway - shock evident upon his face.

"Move, idiot." Kyo pushed Haru aside and was stopped in his tracks. He stuttered.

"T-Tohru?"

_…double curses! Alas, this be an unfortunate predicament…_

"Hello, Haru-kun, Kyo-kun…" She trailed off under the glare of Kyo (TM), before his gaze drifted a couple of centimetres up to Yuki.

"_YOU_." He spat venomously.

_Oh sh--_

Kyo pounced forward in anger, intent on his target. So intent, in fact, that he failed to notice Haru grabbing hold of his shirt, pulling him back and effectively launching him in the direction of the nearest wall.

"The hell are you playing at!" Kyo shouted, recovering instantly and brushing the fresh graze on his arm. Haru faced him solemnly, cold. Yuki got up; clearly, a fight would break out lest he interfered. Striding briskly forward, he grabbed hold of the Bull's arm, speaking in an agitated voice.

"Haru, give it a rest--"

Haru threw him off. The rat looked shocked at the harsh action, and at the way the bull narrowed his eyes at him now.

"No Yuki. You can't control me. You can't use me and just throw me away like that."

Yuki blinked, opening his mouth to speak. But it was too late.

"Go to hell, Yuki."

Haru spoke coldly, walking steadily from the room.

Cold. His eyes were so…

_…he doesn't love me._

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Well, that does it for this chapter - tell us what you thought! Merci! I think it went a little iffy at points, but bare with us, koi?

Till next time!


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